Second Sunday of Advent

by Fr. Jess Ty  |  12/07/2025  |  Weekly Reflection

Dear Family of God,

What are the messages of Our Lady, St. John the Baptist and St. Paul from our readings today?

St. John is not being vindictive toward the Pharisees by warning them; he is being merciful. He does not want the Messiah to arrive and find them unprepared. His urgent mission is to rescue them before it is too late, to show them how to receive God’s great mercy.

This mission continues as he warns us to beware of the poison of hypocrisy. A hundred & eight years ago, Our Lady of Fatima warned and pleaded for us through the three children, to pray and offer sacrifices for conversion of sinners. To pray the rosary daily for peace in our hearts, peace in our families and peace in our world.

The words of Saint John the Baptist and of our Blessed Mother are also valid for each one of us. If we want the Lord to come into our hearts, if we want to be part of His Kingdom, we must prepare the road, we must pray, repent and do penance so that our hearts will be converted. As John the Baptist said: “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance”, “so that the Gentiles might glorify God in His Mercy,” as Saint Paul instructed us in our second reading. Humility and openness to the will of God expressed in both Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy are examples of good fruit of a changed heart.

The message of our readings today, which is also the message of Advent, is not one of fear but hope. St. Paul teaches us in our second reading: “Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” God is rich in mercy; He is “the source of all patience and encouragement.” Let us humble ourselves and return to Him in the Sacrament of Confession, so that we may “glorify God in His Mercy.” (Our Communal Penance will be on December 11th, Thursday at 6 pm; a number of priests will be here to help.)

May Our Lady of Joy and St. Joseph help us all to prepare for the coming of the Lord.